Ask a Pole

[strijder20]

well, there still is a lot of diversity in The Netherlands concerning homosexuals and especially gay-marriage..
With the people I hang out with it isn't an issue at all, but if you look at the group my brother hangs out with, their are some serious homophobes there... And if you look at the bigger cities there is also a bit more animosity towards gays..
And we still have (conservative Christian) parties who are against gay marriage and one of these is against homosexuality in general..
There is currently a political discussion going about so called "refusing officials" government officials who refuse to marry gays...

but I agree that "we" do have reached a new paradigm that the majority doesn't see homosexuality as an issue.

I don't think Geert Wilders likes homosexuals a lot either.

 

[mayor]

not really, he doesn't have issues with homosexuals (just with Muslims and educated people).
When he heard that the President of the Christian Action Network (Martin Mawyer) had said that Homosexuals have a scary disease (this is not proven, at least not in The Netherlands) he cancelled his trip to the première of a film about him (shot by the CAN).

(besides that he is a complete and utter ... well you can fill in the blanks)

Anyway, this is not really the place to discuss the politics of The Netherlands so back to Topic: Asking questions to a Pole ;p

 

[Yeekim]

By the way, the word pel'men' is of Finnic origin and means "an ear of dough". You probably have some local variant of it.

Yup, I know it. Estonian variant is, surprisingly enough, "pelmeen(id)".

 

[Winner]

Yes I am. If you click on my profile you shall see I am member of LGB-CFC.

In that case, how would you compare the situation in Poland concerning the gay minority (past and present) with other countries? Are Poles becoming more open and tolerant?

 

[Veles]

Yup, I know it. Estonian variant is, surprisingly enough, "pelmeen(id)".

But that's not your geniune word, rite? It's Russian loaned. And as Finnic dudes don't you have your own national variant of pelmeni?

 

[Veles]

Proper, fermented kvas is simply awesome.

Some sense made on these boards, finally.

When we put pierogi into red barszcz (borsht) soup, we call them uszka (ears)

The pastry we put in soup we generally call grenki.

Most of the western world calls them pierogi (or perogi), IRC.

That's because you taught them. Perhaps it's even better that the Slavic word is spread world-wide, not Finnic

And how do you call these, which we call perogi, then (with mash potatoes and mushrooms, rice and boiled eggs, grilled cabbage, fish, meat or jelly of various berries):

Spoiler :

How popular is mushroom-gathering in Poland, by the way?

 

[warpus]

That's because you taught them.

It wasn't me, it was Franek. I swear.

And how do you call these, which we call perogi, then (with mash potatoes and mushrooms, rice and boiled eggs, grilled cabbage, fish, meat or jelly of various berries):

I have never seen or heard of such a thing in my life. I will ask my parents.

How popular is mushroom-gathering in Poland, by the way?

VERY popular.

The learning of which mushrooms are edible and which ones aren't is pretty much a rite of passage into adulthood in Poland I have very fond memories of mushroom gathering trips with my parents and relatives, where I'd learn the ins and outs of the hobby. It seemed like EVERYONE did this and loved mushrooms. I have no idea why this is, really, but mushrooms are a very big part of polish cuisine.

edit: Can you link to the wikipedia article for Russian perogi? The article for Perogi just links to Pierogi. Just find the Russian article, then click over to the English version, then well find out the English name.

 

[Veles]

It wasn't me, it was Franek. I swear.

This better be true, Kowalski. This better be true

VERY popular.

The learning of which mushrooms are edible and which ones aren't is pretty much a rite of passage into adulthood in Poland I have very fond memories of mushroom gathering trips with my parents and relatives, where I'd learn the ins and outs of the hobby. It seemed like EVERYONE did this and loved mushrooms. I have no idea why this is, really, but mushrooms are a very big part of polish cuisine.

Ahh, good to see the corrupting influences of West didn't ruin the Slavic spirit in you So are the mushrooms to Russia too.

Lisichki.

Best. Mushroom. Evar.

Can you link to the wikipedia article for Russian perogi? The article for Perogi just links to Pierogi. Just find the Russian article, then click over to the English version, then well find out the English name.

Well, there is not much info, really:
Perogi
Kulebiaka
Rasstegai
Vatrushka

These all have the colloquial name of pirojki or pirogi.

 

[warpus]

Well, there is not much info, really:
Perogi
Kulebiaka
Rasstegai
Vatrushka

These all have the colloquial name of pirojki or pirogi.

I just called my mom and asked her about this. So here's the deal:

In Polish pieróg is officially the singular form of the word pierogi, but in every day language most people would not make the connection between pieróg and pierogi.

So it's a bit of a strange situation. A pieróg is a large or medium-sized pastry or pie that you bake. If you made 2 of them you'd have to say pierogi, but I'm not sure what people actually say.

When you say pierogi though, you always mean those small things you boil and/or fry that are filled with strawberry, cabbage & mushroom, pork, or potato & cheddar. And you never refer to one of them in the singular, it's just not done.

That is, if my mom is to be believed.

 

[Veles]

I just called my mom and asked her about this.

Wow, thanks, bro.

 

[dIZZyBlIZZy]

In Polish pieróg is officially the singular form of the word pierogi, but in every day language most people would not make the connection between pieróg and pierogi.

Grammar question. Is this the Polish equivalent of paparazzi, a word so commonly used as a plural that people tend to misuse it as a singular?

 

[warpus]

Wow, thanks, bro.

No problem, I was very curious myself, and my mom says I never call her, so.. win-win

My parents had to learn Russian in school and still know it quite well. She asked where you are from, because according to her in Russian pierogi are just.. pierogi.. and not what you said. Maybe it's a regional thing.

Grammar question. Is this the Polish equivalent of paparazzi, a word so commonly used as a plural that people tend to misuse it as a singular?

I have no idea.. I haven't attended any sort of Polish class since the mid or late 80s, so my knowledge of Polish grammar and such is not that great.. Having said that, I can for some reason spell things in Polish very well.

Anyway, I always attributed it to the fact that NOBODY ever eats just one pierogi There is never a need in the language to single out one particular one.. That's probably not right, but that's my answer

 

[Veles]

No problem, I was very curious myself, and my mom says I never call her, so.. win-win

My parents had to learn Russian in school and still know it quite well. She asked where you are from, because according to her in Russian pierogi are just.. pierogi.. and not what you said. Maybe it's a regional thing.

A village in Moscow region. So, moskal' here We generally tend to call any small pastry with fillings pirojki. But perogi indeed are mainly reserved for actual pies.

Anyway, I always attributed it to the fact that NOBODY ever eats just one pierogi There is never a need in the language to single out one particular one.. That's probably not right, but that's my answer

Ukrainians and South Russians call this thing galushki. And they too rarely use singular galushka, but it exists.
EDIT: Oh, and we have vareniki, which is essentially the same thing as pel'meni, but with potatoes and mushrooms or cherry instead of meat. It too is rarely used in singular form - varenik.

 

[NovaKart]

My boyfriend's family puts butter on top of pelmeni, is that normal or are they just really unhealthy? Once I got some pelmeni with a fish filling but my bf told me never to buy it again because it was really cheap and you don't want to buy something that cheap with seafood in it. Fortunately I didn't get sick but I threw the rest of it out ( it was a big package ) because one day the electricity was out for a long time and I figured it must have gone bad. Buying frozen pelmeni is a bit like buying frozen khinkali anyway.

And about paparazzi, does anyone ever say paparazzo in English?

 

[Veles]

Butter on pel'meni doesn't sound like fun to me, but I heard people doing that. It's preferrable not to stock pelmeni for later and consume it the same day you bought it, and make sure it wasn't manufactured too long ago, even if it's not expired yet. As for fish filling - it's probably not actual fish but some leftover byproducts of fish industry. Wouldn't recommend it. But in the region you happen to reside they're supposed to make homemade pelmeni-like stuff, which cannot be compared to anything industrially made.

 

[Squonk]

My boyfriend's family puts butter on top of pelmeni, is that normal or are they just really unhealthy?

it's completely normal. My mother does that as well. Is your boyfriend Slavic?

In that case, how would you compare the situation in Poland concerning the gay minority (past and present) with other countries? Are Poles becoming more open and tolerant?

I've partly responded to that already: it's changed a lot. Poles are becoming more open and liberal. Still, it'll take some more years before we reach a decent level. Especially in the rural areas of SE and NE Poland.

 

[Yeekim]

Lisichki.

Best. Mushroom. Evar.

I see your chantarelles and I raise you parasols:

Spoiler :

and milkcaps

Spoiler :

 

[Winner]

I've partly responded to that already: it's changed a lot. Poles are becoming more open and liberal. Still, it'll take some more years before we reach a decent level. Especially in the rural areas of SE and NE Poland.

Yeah, sorry, I missed your previous post on this.

 

[NovaKart]

it's completely normal. My mother does that as well. Is your boyfriend Slavic?



I've partly responded to that already: it's changed a lot. Poles are becoming more open and liberal. Still, it'll take some more years before we reach a decent level. Especially in the rural areas of SE and NE Poland.

He's from the Caucasus, so not Slavic but influenced by Russia alot and he was actually born there.

Poland seems to be a lot more liberal about homosexuality than I expected.

 

[Domen]

Sorry, double post.